With This Heart
by Aylizzle
Summary: Never in my sixteen years did I expect to have an unforgettable summer, that I would treasure for the rest of my life. Apart from spying on my neighbor and my stupid disease that has me going in and out of the hospital. Nothing prepared me for what was to come next which was meeting him.
1. Happenstance

**CHAPTER INSPIRED BY THE SONGS:**

**Seven Lions with Myon and Shane 54 ft. Tove Lo – Strangers & TuneDEF - Hit The Spot**

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This was going to be the longest summer of my life. Being deprived of my three best friends, Cream, Cheese, and Big—otherwise known as the Rose Team—was worse than I'd imagined it would be. It'd only been a week and I was already cracking like a nut job from the summer boredom. If it weren't for the new kid across the street I'd be in a room with padded walls already.

The new kid and his mom moved in the day after the Rose Team left to go to cheer camp for the summer. I'm not even going to start on how unfair it is that I couldn't go with them just because of the fact that I'm a stupid girl—a fact which my current roommate says is debatable—because it will only make me punch something.

Anyway, the Rose Team all left to go become UCA material, and just when I thought for sure I was going to literally die without them, a moving van pulled up in front of the house across the street. Naturally I was curious, so I sat up in my room, with a bowl of ice cream and The Beatles blaring loudly through my open window, and watched as the movers began hauling stuff into the house.

After a few minutes, I stuck the spoon in my mouth and forgot to remove it until I got a massive brain freeze. This was not because I'm a moron and don't know how to eat ice cream. It was because a BMW, of all things, pulled up to the curb in front of the house.

Of course I've seen nice cars before, and it wasn't even about the fact that I live in the kind of neighborhood where people only drive minivans, but a BMW? That's like Human or something. If you're going to move to Little Planet—okay well Miracle Planet, which is currently ran by the worst ruler, but still—the least you could do is have the decency to drive Mobian.

I waited to see what kind of creatures would have the nerve to roll up in a foreign car, and the woman who stepped out from behind the wheel seemed to perfectly fit the stereotype I had in my head. She was super skinny, which, not to be rude to a lot of the moms on my street, was not something we were used to seeing around here. She had really shiny blonde hair, like the kind you see on shampoo commercials. Her clothes were probably designer, not that I would really know, and she had something hanging on her ear, which I decided was one of those cell phone things you see people using in the movies. In fact, she looked like someone you would see in the movies.

Then he stepped out of the car and I felt like I'd died and gone to paradise. He had messy, dark quills with red strikes that were as messy as the guys' that do cheer with me, except that his seemed to be styled like that on purpose. It spiked up to the sky, making him look kind of mysterious, and he was really tall. Definitely varsity basketball team tall—not that he struck me as the type to play organized sports. And tall is good, because I'm like five, two.

Not that I'm planning our wedding or anything, I'm just saying.

He seemed a little on the skinny side, but you could see the definition under his polo-fit tee. It gave him the appearance of a Vogue model, officially making him the hottest boy I've ever seen. So hot, that I could feel myself blushing even though he was down on the street and had no idea I was watching him.

And that's what I did for the rest of the week. I watched him because you sir are attractive, therefore I shall stare.

I'd become obsessive about spying on him over the last week since it was my only form of entertainment. Well, it was the most exciting entertainment anyway. I did have my X-box to keep me company, but even Grand Theft Auto couldn't compare with Mr. Vogue working out in his garage.

The workouts started the morning after he moved in. Every morning around nine a.m. he worked himself ragged. Half the days he did an extensive cardio workout, with a jump rope of all things, and then he'd beat the crap out of a punching bag. That's pretty fun to watch, but I'll admit I liked the days when he lifted better. He had one of those weight machines that allows you to work out all the different parts of your body, so after he worked his thighs and gluts, he moved on to my particular favorite, his upper body.

I kind of have the perfect view, too. My bedroom window is directly across from his bedroom window, which sits above his garage. So after his workout, I can usually catch a glimpse of him stripping his tank top off as he heads into his bathroom to shower. Best ten seconds of my day. Only today it was actually more like a whole minute, because he stopped to look out his window as he gulped down a bottle of water.

I was completely mesmerized by his hotness, and didn't think to hide from his view until our eyes locked. I panicked and quickly ducked out of sight hoping that we were far enough away from each other, that maybe he didn't notice me. Maybe I only thought he'd seen me.

I waited a minute and then peeked again to see if he was gone, but he was still standing there. Not only that, but it's like he was waiting for me—like he knew I'd look again. At that point what could I do, hide again? I think not. I was already busted.

In an attempt to save my dignity, and hopefully make him think I'd just happened to notice him and wasn't actually watching him, I threw my hand up and waved. He didn't wave back, but beneath the intense stare he was giving me, the corners of his mouth curved into half a smirk. I couldn't help but think, is he laughing at me?

"Who are you waving at?" a shrill voice called out from behind me.

Rouge. The dreaded exchange student. Just the name makes me shudder. She's only two years older than me, but that's enough to make her think she's better than me in every way possible. I hate her because she's way pretty and wears a lot of skirts and stuff, and she hates me because I'm basically the opposite—a pale, skinny, pink-haired, who's unattractive to half the boys in school and could injure any one of them with my cheer moves.

Rouge barged into my room so suddenly that I jumped sky high at the sound of her voice. "What?" I yelped as I whirled around to face her.

"Why are you blushing?" she demanded the moment she saw my face.

"I'm not blushing. I'm just… It's hot in here. What do you want?"

She watched me suspiciously for a moment and then put the pieces together. "Oh, my gosh!" she shrieked. "You were watching the new guy work out, weren't you?" She pushed me out of the way to take her own peek at the window across the street, which was now empty, and added, "Did I miss him take his shirt off already?"

Good to know stalking runs in the house. I was going to deny it and play dumb, but I was still so stunned by him catching me that I blurted out a "yup" before I could stop myself.

Rouge sighed in regret, but then pulled herself away from my window and turned her evil eyes on me. "Well, well, well, is Amy Rose finally crushing on a boy? It's about time."

"What? I don't—"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Pinkie." Rouge rolled her eyes as she cut me off. "He's totally gorgeous and you're almost sixteen. I was starting to worry that you'd never realize what boys are for."

I'd already had enough embarrassment for one day with the whole being caught spying thing. I didn't need Rouge making it worse with some sort of welcome to womanhood speech.

"What are you doing in my room?" I yelled.

"Sheesh, I was just looking for my black clips."

"Do I look like someone who would use your hair clips?"

"You should. You actually have really nice hair if you would just brush it once in a while."

I couldn't help reaching up to grab my ponytail defensively. "I brush it."

When Rouge saw the frown on my face, she studied me for a moment then sighed. "I can't believe I'm about to say this but, why don't we go shopping today and get you a skirt and a swimsuit and you can come with me to the lake tomorrow."

"Excuse me?" Never in all my fifteen years and eleven months of existence had such a statement come out of Rouge's mouth.

"Listen. I know you miss those loser friends of yours, but maybe them being gone is a good thing." I was shocked because she actually sounded sincere. Well, sincere for her anyway. "If you'll promise to not be quite so… you." There goes the sincerity. "I'll let you hang out with my friends and me. With the 'Rose Team' out of the way, we might have a decent chance of turning you into a girl this summer."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Had Rouge gone mental? Was I not the only one going crazy from the summer break? Well Hell would have to freeze over before I agreed to a make-over, and considering it was like a hundred degrees outside, I pushed Rouge into the hallway and slammed my bedroom door screaming, "I don't have your stupid clips!"

"Freak!" Rouge yelled back through the door. I guess she was mad that I wouldn't let her play like I'm her Barbie.

Well, whatever! Just because my best friends were all child-like, and I liked to do cheer, and I'd never been kissed before, didn't mean I wasn't a girl. And for the record, I didn't have a crush on the new guy. I just thought he was really hot. But even if I did, it wouldn't have been my first. I'd had crushes on boys before. Not any on Big of course, but last year I totally liked my biology partner Silver Hedgehog. That didn't work out so much since we dissected frogs and I mentioned I was disappointed that there wasn't any blood. But still.

Feeling ready to punch something, which is basically how I feel every time I have to interact with Rouge, I cranked up the Ramones and climbed out my bedroom window onto the roof of the garage where I like to go when I need space. I assumed that's where I'd spend the rest of my day because my life was just that exciting.

I actually didn't stay out on the roof that long, because Mrs. Rabbit pulled up in front of my house. "Amy, honey," she called to me through the open passenger window, "are you free to watch Butters this evening?"

"Sure Mrs. Rabbit. What time do you need me?"

"Six o'clock okay?"

"Should be fine."

"Thanks Amy!" She started to drive off, but then stopped again. "Oh, and Amy?"

"Yeah, Mrs. R?"

"If you see Cheese, would you mind hanging on to him till I can come get him?"

"He got out?" I couldn't help the surprise in my voice. It's not like Cheese is a little nescience who could sneak through a hole he dug under the fence. He's a 5-pound chao. He'd never hurt a fly, but still not the kind of chao you'd want cruising the neighborhood on his own.

"Chocolate forgot to shut the gate after he took the trash to the curb this morning."

I laughed because that was just like Mr. Rabbit. That man would forget his shoes in the morning if Mrs. Rabbit weren't there. "You want me to help you look for him?"

Mrs. Rabbit's eyes lit up at the offer. "Oh, would you?"

"Sure. Let me just put on my skates and I'll do a few laps through the neighborhood for you."

"Oh, Amy." Mrs. Rabbit sighed in relief. "What would I ever do without you?"

More like what would I do without the Rabbits? I'm saving up to buy a car as soon as I get my drivers license, and the Rabbits' add to my car fund more than any other family in the neighborhood. They pay really well and only have one other kid—a baby who'll be in bed by seven-thirty. Plus, they always have the cupboards stocked, and they get all the movie channels. It's almost a crime to take their money. "See you in a while Mrs. Rabbit," I called with a big friendly smile.

Not that looking for Cheese was all that exciting, but I was more than happy to slip on my rollerblades and go for a good skate. I'd been in the house too much this week and could use the exercise. So, as Mrs. Rabbit continued to drive down the street calling out for her chao, I headed in the other direction toward the neighborhood like I'd promised.

I live in a subdivision called Acorn. I don't mean one of those new "housing developments" where you have to put a potted plant or a flag by the mailbox just so that you can tell which house is yours. I'm talking about a real neighborhood. The kind of place where there may be a house here and there in need of a paint job, but the trees are mature enough that they actually produce shade. Real estate people like to use the term 'character'.

It's the type of place where everybody knows everybody, and for some reason once you move in you stay until you croak. Which is exactly why the new guy moving in was so exciting, and also why I couldn't stop thinking about him as I rolled around the neighborhood.

I went down every path in the entire neighborhood but didn't see any trace of Cheese. Since Little Planet is hot and muggy enough to be mistaken for a rainforest in the summer, I only did one lap and then called it quits. I got to my driveway and ripped off my helmet to wipe at the sweat that had gathered under it.

No sooner did I toss the helmet in the grass than I heard the sound of wings flying toward me. Not only does Cheese love me because I feed him junk sometimes while I'm babysitting, but he seemed particularly excited at the moment because of his current freedom. He came barreling at me at full speed.

"Cheese, no! Stay! Bad chao!" I called when I realized he wasn't going to stop. But it was too late. Cheese jumped up and knocked me right off my skates.

Everything happened so fast. I crashed back against my driveway hard, and for a second, things went totally black. When I came to my ears were ringing, my head was pounding, and I felt like I was going to vomit at any moment.

Then, just as I'd suspected would happen, a giant tongue attacked my face.

Cheese only got the chance to give me one good lick before he yelped and fell limp beside me. That's when I looked up to see the new guy staring down at me with the most intense eyes I'd ever seen. And, get this. He was holding a Taser. "Hi, Rose," he said in a strong, deep voice. "It's nice to meet you."

Well of course I screamed. The psycho just killed the Rabbits' chao. I screamed loud enough that the Team Rose probably heard me all the way at camp. Then I tried my best to push the new kid away from me, but he was too strong. I would have freaked out that such a hot boy was touching me, except I was too busy freaking out that such a hot boy was touching me! Pinning me to the ground, actually.

"Easy there, Rose," New Guy ordered me and then did the weirdest thing ever. He took off his shirt.

Not that I didn't appreciate what was under his shirt, but I screamed again. Well what was I supposed to do? The guy comes out of nowhere, kills a chao, pins me to the ground, and takes his clothes off? Oh yeah, and he knows my name. How does he know my name?

It wasn't until he wadded up his shirt and plastered it against the back of my head that I realized maybe he wasn't attacking me. Once I understood this it finally dawned on me how much pain I was in.

There was a pounding in my head like nothing I've ever felt, and it seemed to match the rhythm of my heartbeat. The thud, thud, thud was echoing in my ears and making my brain want to explode, but it was soon overpowered by a much worse sound. One that was unfortunately all too familiar, and makes my head ache even when I haven't just cracked it on the driveway.

"Amy! What the freak is with the screaming? I'm on the phone!" Rouge was saying until she got to the driveway and saw what was going on. The shriek that followed was blood curdling.

"Don't worry, she'll be all right, but she's going to need stitches."

I was startled because the voice came from so close to me. It's like I'd forgotten the new kid was there, and when I looked up I was surprised to see his face just a foot from mine. They're red, I thought as I finally got a really good look at his eyes. I'd been wondering all week what color they were. It was hard to tell from my window. Deep, dark, blood red. Gorgeous, just like the rest of him.

He looked down at me suddenly with the same amused grin he'd given me from his bedroom window, which I thought was strange. But maybe I was looking at him cross-eyed since he held a finger up in front of me and slowly waved it from side to side. The motion made me nauseous.

"She might have a concussion, too," he said, still smirking at me. Is a concussion funny? It certainly didn't feel funny. "We should get her to a hospital. Are your parents' home?"

"They're both at work," Rouge replied in a frantic voice.

She came rushing to my side as if she were completely freaked out, but I noticed the way she put her hand down on New Guy's forearm as she pretended to care about my well-being. I smirked at her fingers clinging to his skin. Obvious much, Rouge?

Rouge was suddenly glaring at me for some reason, and the new guy chuckled. It was quite irritating because the situation was anything but funny. I would have told him just where he could shove that chuckle of his, but I started seeing these big, dark spots floating all around me, and sort of forgot that I was annoyed.

Plus, he didn't fall for Rouge's TMZ magazine! Techniques for getting his attention. He looked down at the hand on his arm and immediately removed it. That earned him a couple brownie points with me until he took her hand and placed it on the shirt he'd been pressing against my head. "Hold this," he instructed and then got to his feet to let my roommate tend to me.

I was going to scold him on just how not smart it was to leave a dying girl in the hands of my roommate, when I saw him scoop up something tiny into his arms, and I remembered what happened. Cheese! How could I have forgotten about Cheese? He totally killed Cheese! He's a chao killer!

I wanted to yell at him, but he'd already disappeared inside his house. He came back a minute later with keys in his hand instead of a chao, and a new shirt on—to both my roommate's and my disappointment. "You know where there's a hospital?" he asked Rouge, handing her the keys to his BMW.

"Uh, just a mile or two from here," Rouge said, staring at the keys in her hand.

"Good. I'll get her. You drive."

The next thing I knew I was being scooped carefully off the ground. My head responded with a vengeance, and I groaned when everything started to go black around me. Unfortunately I didn't get to pass out because Rouge screamed again. "There's so much blood!"

I could feel the new guy shrug his shoulders beneath my weight and then he said, "I've seen a lot worse."

"You've seen worse?" Rouge asked, vocalizing my exact thoughts.

New Guy didn't explain himself, though. "She's got plenty left. Trust me."

Rouge frowned but New Guy just swept past her, not bothered in the least by my weight—which is a lot more than you'd think considering how skinny I look—and asked her to open the car door for him.

Rouge did as she was told, but as the new guy climbed into the backseat with me she asked, "Doesn't blood stain? You're going to get it all over your car." Leave it to Rouge to be worried about the car and not her dying baby roommate.

I could barely make sense of anything at this point. My head hurt so bad the pain was almost numbing, and I was growing more and more tired by the second, but I could still hear the words he muttered under his breath as he pulled me against his chest, holding his shirt tightly against the back of my head again. The expression on his face grew disturbingly dark and he muttered, "Wouldn't be the first time."

"W-what d-do you mean not the first time?" I stammered, a little distracted by the threat of unconsciousness.

His scowl was gone so fast I wasn't sure it'd been there. "Shh," he said with a frown. Then he looked up at Rouge and barked, "Just hurry, okay?"

The movement of the car only made my stomach feel even queasier. It made it very hard to fight off the unconsciousness that had been trying to overcome me. The world around me seemed to slip out of focus and then my eyelids drooped.

"Oh, no you don't." The new kid's voice was extremely tender, but the pat he gave my cheek, that made my eyes roll forward once again but that was quite the slap. "No falling asleep."

Can't help it, I thought. I'm so tired, and you're so comfortable. Maybe it was the possible concussion, but this was the closest I'd ever been to a boy that hadn't just mowed me down chasing after a football, and I fully intended to take advantage of it. I relaxed in his arms and enjoyed the feel of the chest I was being held against. For someone with such hard-looking muscles, the new kid is surprisingly soft.

New Guy's chest started to tremble beneath me and I looked up to see him shaking his head with laughter. I'd officially had it with this guy and his being amused with my dying. My anger managed to give me a little burst of energy. Enough to steady my gaze momentarily and growl, "Something funny?"

I thought I sounded pretty menacing, but New Guy didn't bother to wipe the smirk from his face. He just looked down at me and shrugged. "You are."

I tried to glare again, but I couldn't focus my eyes enough to do it. I don't think I lost consciousness then, but maybe I did, because New Guy touched my face again. Only this time he didn't slap it to keep me awake, he started brushing his fingers back and forth along my cheek.

The warm tingly sensation his fingers left on my skin was something I'd never felt before. Certainly nothing like whenever Big tugs on my ponytail, or gives me a high kick, or even when he gives me a hand up after he has knocked me to the ground. This was different. It was like magic. Wonderful, wonderful magic that made all the pain in my head disappear.

I was sure it was a concussion-induced hallucination, but even still, I was beginning to think it was worth it. That is, until New Guy brushed my hair out of my face and said, "Such shiny, bright, pink hair. Gorgeous, just like the rest of you."

My stomach lurched and it had nothing to do with my head injury. I recognized his words. Hadn't I thought the exact same ones about him only minutes before? Had I really been talking out loud this whole time? Suddenly, all his amusement made sense. The humiliation was too much for me to handle with everything else going on at the moment, and all those spots in my vision finally lumped into one giant shroud of black.

* * *

**CLICK THAT FOLLOW BUTTON**

**That feeling you get when your crush is next to you. O.O**

**Epic, but getting back to the point here, this story is not going to be about jealousy or picture perfect like most because I'm personally over the whole go-lucky stories with the same storyline so expect something different-that is if I do my thing right- because that's what I'm aiming hard for but a heads up is that future chapters won't be as long as this one because I'm getting a feeling that they're a tad bit to overwhelming which I apologize since I'm new to writing stories for others and just realized too much could bore. And, isn't it ironic how the song titles totally match this chapter…? o **

**-Peace, loveys!**


	2. Entice

**CHAPER INSPIRED BY THE SONGS:**

**AZEDIA – Agony & Satellite Empire - Time (Yelhigh! Remix)**

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I only spent two nights in the hospital, but I still had a raging headache. Between the pain and the painkillers, I was pretty out of it for a good two days. I wasn't sure how long I'd been drifting in and out of consciousness, but I knew when I woke up this time that I was really awake and was going to stay that way.

My room was bright and airy since my window was open, but the light made my head hurt like a son of a you-know-what. I threw my arm over my eyes and reached beside my bed where I always keep one of those grabby things. Usually I use the grabby thing when I leave my cell phone on my nightstand or drop one of my Hershey's, but today I used it to grab my window shade.

Concussion or not, I have excellent hand-eye coordination and with just one little grab I plunged myself into total darkness. "Hey!" Rouge immediately protested.

Rouge's voice is not what you want to hear when you are recovering from a concussion. "Get out of my room," I groaned since I didn't really have the energy to yell.

"No way. I'll rather hang out in here than out there."

"What's out there?"

"That crazy patient in the room across is acting up again."

"Crazy? Who let him out?"

Rouge pulled the door open slightly. I would have protested the action except that she said, "Who cares? He's having a conversation with the wall."

I got out of bed, found a dark pair of sunglasses, and pushed Rouge aside to take a peek. Just as I looked, the crazy patient flicked his wrist and sent a punch into what looked like the direct center of a mural. He smiled to himself as he crossed the hall and admired his aim, then he reached for his wheelchair and wheeled away.

"This is even better than watching Desperate House Wives," Rouge sighed, plopping down onto my bed when he disappeared into his room.

"He's gone. You can leave now," I said, pushing Rouge out of my way so that I could lay back down.

I pulled my covers over my head, but Rouge yanked them right back off. "Get up and get your I.V.," she told me. "We're going to the soda machine."

"What?"

"C'mon, while he's gone."

"Why do I have to go?"

"Because I said."

"Well then."

"Whatever. So get up."

"What happened with that one guy?" I asked to distract her. "He didn't tell you his name? Didn't you guys spend hours flirting in the waiting room while I was unconscious?"

I laughed when Rouge frowned. Apparently the answer to my question was no.

"Shut up! He just never got the chance. As soon as we got to the hospital, he let some guys wheel you inside and then said he had to go."

"He just left us at the hospital?"

I thought this was strange, but Rouge didn't agree. "It's not like he could have done anything else. They wouldn't have let him come back with us because he wasn't family."

"Neither are you but still, to just dump two girls off at the emergency room and not even stick around to see if I was okay?"

"Way to be self-absorbed Pinkie."

"That's not what I mean. There's something really weird about that guy."

Rouge finally lost her patience with me and began tapping her foot as she stood over my bed. "Forget it. I'll go on my own."

I smiled with satisfaction when she left my room but I was visited by another minutes later.

"Well if it isn't my favorite patient?" Dr. Quack said with a smile as he stepped closer to check my health in his computer after coming from next door which was weird because I heard him talking to himself. His brown gaze shifted above my head, most likely to confirm that the coast was clear. I turned with his gaze to see my mom immersed in a conversation with Dr. R out in the hallway. I swear the two women had become best friends considering the amount of time they'd spent together. I imagined them talking about the singular interest that brought them together: me and well new, heart.

"Are you aware of the harm that could have come from that concussion?" Dr. Quack asked with a warning tone.

"Yeah, sort of."

"Sort of?" he mocked.

I scrunched my nose in protest. "I'm fifteen, remember? I'm allowed to use words like 'like' and 'sorta."

Dr. Quack laughed and gently tugged my arm so he could pull us into the closest exam room.

"You realize you're putting not only my job, but this practice and the hospital, in jeopardy by not taking better care of yourself." Every feature of his face was stern, which only added to the seriousness of his warning.

"Dr. Quack, I realize there are ramifications for my actions. They sound really terrible, and I promise I won't act recklessly."

He rolled his eyes and then narrowed them on me, as if judging how worthy I was. I hoped in that moment that my makeup-less face portrayed me as innocently as possible. For good measure, I widened my sage green eyes and flashed him a pleading smile. I gave him the full on sick-kid face, and I knew he was putty in my hands. I'm sorry that you have to know about that. I wish I could say that I never used my sickness for selfish reasons, but I thought of it like this: life had dealt me a really shitty hand. Other people were pretty or smart, and they used those qualities to their advantage in life. Why couldn't I, ONLY once or twice, use my sickness to my advantage? I mean, I didn't even get a Wish. This was my Wish. Dr. Quack was my quasi-Make-A-Wish Genie in that moment.

Maybe I should have told him that a chao attacked me but then that could have resulted to something worse.

Anyway, he pulled out a piece of paper from one of the like twelve dozen pockets on his scrubs and shoved it into my hand like he was dealing drugs and wanted to get the paraphernalia out of his hands, lest the police roll up soon.

"That's the time and date. You DO NOT harm yourself and you DO NOT go out, ever. Or at least until you get your surgery."

My hand shook a little bit when he gave me that speech. The whole idea felt serious in that moment, like the surgery might actually happen after all. New guy's handsome features materialized in my thoughts.

"Did you have summer plans?" he asked with a flash of concern.

"Maybe," I whispered, fearing his reprimand.

"Should have thought about that before you went out roller skating in your condition." His voice was harsh. I wanted to scream, NOT MY FAULT. I'm just trying to I LIVE my life! What's the point of summer if all it's good for is watching reality TV and spying my hot neighbor?!

I wanted to say that so badly, but out of respect I offered only a nod.

"Yes, but I'll be fine. I'll take all of my medications and take my temperature every day."

I knew that wasn't enough. There were so many things that could go wrong.

He mashed his lips together in deliberation before he tugged the piece of paper away from my still-trembling hand. "Here, I've decided that it would be best if I got you your own permanent room here for the time being."

I frowned at that but then sighed. "For how long—"

"Until that concussion is a healthy equivalent with your body but don't worry too much because it will be this one," He finished for me, nodding his understanding.

My concern melted into a smile since this was practically already my second room. "I can live with that, can I paint my room all pretty and pink?"

"That's not honestly what you're expecting, is it?"

I laughed. "I guess you don't know me as well as you say." I wagged a finger at him and smiled. "I just figured because of my unique color, Dr. Quack."

"You don't mind sharing, do you?"

"Um, no, not really," I lied. The more private, the better. How can you get your own room when you need to share it with someone else?

"Amy, you won't be exactly sharing. There will be a thin wall between you and the other patient."

You might be wondering why my doctor was repeating all of this even though he just said I would be sharing. Well, that was because I was wrong and he did know me well enough to know I didn't like sharing.

"It'll only until I get the concussion all cleared out and this week's check-ups, right?" I asked, trying to turn his focus toward my health. It was his favorite distraction, and I was actually quite thankful to have his help 99% of time.

"Yes, and I think I'll will do a quick physical like usual."

x.X.x

I pulled my sleeve back down after he drew a few tubes of blood. I hated wearing a long-sleeved shirt in summer, but I always had to wear layers to Dr. Quack's exam room. I'd lost so much weight in the last few years, and even though the new medicine was helping me put some of it back on, I still felt chilled to the bone most of the time. Good thing I lived in Little Planet. At least I'd warm up when we walked outside.

"You're all done. I think your mom is waiting out in the lobby for you," Dr. Quack offered politely.

"Oh, actually, can I go home and bring some stuff?" I asked, shuffling my feet awkwardly.

The doctor eyed me skeptically and then frowned. "You'll be wearing the Hospital's gown. I don't think you need to bring any clothes."

"It's just a really quick something, and I promise it won't take long. You did say I was your favorite patient." I couldn't actually re-call Dr. Quack being reasonable, but it worked. He let me go home after checking my stitches again.

The whole ordeal left me feeling particularly exhausted, and my head was throbbing. Especially since I'd whacked it again when the crazy guy in the hospital slammed me to the wall while he opened his door. I headed back home refusing to look over my shoulder at the house behind me, and went straight to the comfort of my dark room. I swallowed one of the pills on my dresser, turned on my fan, then collapsed on my bed and waited for the painkillers to render me unconscious for a couple of hours until my mom woke me up.

"I felt bad having to leave you every day," Mom said with a sigh. "I should have taken a few days off work, but with the cruise coming up I didn't really have any time."

"Don't worry about it," I said quickly, not wanting her to feel guilty.

She and Dad are going on a cruise later this summer for their twentieth anniversary. They've never been on a real vacation before and I don't think I've ever seen either of them more excited about anything in their lives. They've been the easiest parents ever since they booked the trip. They didn't even ground me when I got suspended the last month of school for wailing on Fiona Fox after she called me a lesbian. No need to kill their moods over one dumb accident.

"I just slept most of the time anyway," I assured her. "And I really am feeling a lot better today. I could probably even go for a skate later. I'm dying to get out of the house for a while before I have to go back to the hospital."

Mom frowned at that but then sighed. "Just be careful and remember—"

"Always take the skates off before the helmet," I finished for her, nodding my understanding.

Mom's concern melted into a smile. "I've got to go to the supermarket now, do you want anything?"

"Cookie dough and Mint Chocolate Chip?"

Mom laughed. "I guess you really are feeling better." She stood up from my bed and stopped at my door. "Take it easy today, sweetie."

"I did take it easy!" I yelled before my mom could say anything when I rolled into the house later that evening covered in blood. I leaned over the kitchen sink and began to wash the blood off my hands and face. "It was just a small pickup game in the park and I didn't even hit back!"

"What happened?" Dad asked from somewhere in the family room.

"I took an elbow in the nose. Don't worry I'm sure it's not broken. Can somebody hand me a freaking towel?"

I suddenly got what I asked for. More than I asked for. I was pulled against a body and my head gently tilted back until it was resting on someone's shoulder. Then the dishtowel I'd requested was pressed lightly to my throbbing nose. I instinctively screamed and tried to escape my surprise captor, but the arm around my waist was a vice.

"There are easier ways of getting my attention than continually bloodying yourself, Rose," the object of my dreams cooed. His lips brushed my ear, breath as warm as it had been in my dreams.

For a single instant I thought I'd been knocked out during the game and was having another dream. I wrestled free of the embrace to find New Guy looking wickedly amused.

"What is the matter with you?" I gasped.

New Guy held up the bloody towel with the perfect mask of innocence. "Just trying to help."

I snatched the towel from his hands angrily, and took a safe step away from him as I attempted to stop the nosebleed on my own. "What are you doing here?"

Rouge came into the kitchen and pulled something from the fridge. "Pinkie, is that any way to greet a guest? This is Shadow," she informed me. "Aren't you excited to finally meet your knight in shining armor?"

"It is nice to finally meet you," Shadow agreed. The natural thin line of his lips he flashed me sent two different kinds of chills through me.

I shook my head and said the first thing I could think of. "You killed Cheese." Random, I know. But no way was I going to admit what was really wrong—that it freaked me out to be treated by a killer.

Shadow bit back a smirk and crossed his arms. "He tried to kill you first," he argued lightly.

I couldn't believe his response. It was so heartless. How could he be so nonchalant about taking the life of a big, dumb, but really sweet, and totally innocent chao?

"He was just excited to see me!" I yelled, forgetting that doing so would only cause me pain. I had to lower my voice again, but that was probably a good thing, because I was suddenly a little choked up. "It was my own fault—always take the skates off before the helmet. Cheese wasn't trying to hurt me. He wouldn't hurt anybody!"

"How was I supposed to know that?" Shadow retorted. "I'm up in my room, hear you screaming 'No!' and look out the window just in time to see a wild chao knock you to the ground. You were bleeding all over, and he was attacking your face."

"He was licking my face. And he's not wild."

"Whatever." Shadow rolled his eyes at me. "The chao's fine anyways. I just stunned him. He was messing up my back yard before I even got back from the hospital."

"Cheese's not dead?" This made me feel so much better.

"Of course not. What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"I don't know what kind of guy you are. I don't know you. Which reminds me. What are you doing in my house?"

I was glad when Rouge broke the awkward silence, and even more glad when she weaved her arm around Shadow's. "He's going to have dinner with us," she said, pulling him the direction of the dining room. "You can sit next to me." It was a relief to have that killer smirk of his pointed at someone besides me this time.

I retreated to the safety of my room and took a deep breath when the door was shut securely behind me. As I changed out of my blood-soaked shirt, I thought about the person downstairs waiting to have dinner with my family. So he liked to taze chaos and had no sense of personal space, that wasn't really reason to fear him. I mean Knuckles Echidna had no problem invading my personal space as he was bashing my face in this afternoon, and I didn't fear him. In fact, the next time I was in the game with Knuckles, he was going to be really sorry.

But still, there was something very unsettling about Shadow and it really irked me. I went downstairs determined not to let this guy intimidate me. After all, no guy ever had before.

"Here she is!" my dad exclaimed proudly when I entered the dining room. "This is our only daughter, Amy."

My dad gestured to me and then swept his hand toward the woman I'd seen driving the BMW. She was even more striking up close and seemed oddly out of place at our dingy old dinner table. "Amy, this is our new neighbor Maria Robotnik, and, of course, you've already met her brother, Shadow Hedgehog."

I tried to brace myself as I looked the direction my father was now pointing, but it didn't do me any good. I met Shadow's eyes and instantly all my resolve flew out the window. My heart sped up, my adrenaline spiked, and judging by the way Shadow was watching me—a predator stalking his prey—I was beginning to think he could smell my fear.

"Hey," I mumbled, taking the seat they'd saved me, which was unfortunately directly across the table from Shadow. I glued my eyes to my plate.

"Amy, where are your manners?" Mom chided. Something she did a lot with me.

I looked up then, but at least now I was annoyed instead of intimidated. Shadow smirked at me and I tried to keep the edge out of my voice as I said, "Thanks for helping me."

"Helping you?" Rouge repeated incredulously. "Pinkie, he rescued you." She turned to Shadow then, glowing with admiration. "You saved her life."

Shadow flashed me another thin line which I think is his way of smiling. "It was my pleasure."

Rouge quickly tried to regain his attention. "I don't know how you stayed so calm," she said. "There was so much blood. You must be really brave."

"Or maybe he just likes blood," I grumbled under my breath.

"Actually," Shadow's sister spoke up, startling me. For a moment I wondered if she'd heard me, but she was smiling. "Shadow is great in emergency situations. He's certified in both CPR and First Aid and has had self-defense training."

Is expert tazering chaos considered self-defense? I wanted to ask.

"Really?" Rouge cooed, resting her hand on his arm. "That's so great!"

"Yes, I have high hopes that he'll be a great doctor one day," Ms. Robotnik continued to brag.

"A doctor!" Rouge gasped. "Yeah, after seeing you in action, I'm sure you'd make a great doctor."

"Maybe I should," Shadow said lightly. "Seems to me you could use one on staff in this house for Amy alone."

Everyone laughed at that, except me, of course. To my horror all I could do was blush. It was my mom who finally threw me a bone and got the attention off of me. "Is that what you're going to study then?" she asked Shadow "I assume you'll be starting college in the fall."

"No, I'm just barely seventeen. I'll be a senior in the fall. Which is a good thing because I don't have any idea what I want to do. I need the time to think about it."

My mom smiled sympathetically. "Transferring high schools before your senior year? That's got to be rough."

Ms. Robotnik sighed. "I did feel bad about having to move, but he's been very mature about it."

I caught my dad glancing at Rouge with a smirk on his face and I couldn't hold back my smile either. Rouge's going to be a senior too, and if my dad had transferred us this year, she would have started World War III. Dad winked at me and then we turned our attention back to the conversation.

"It won't be so bad," Shadow was saying as he smirking at me again. "The neighborhood's already turned out to be much more exciting than I'd expected." Everyone chuckled again with more glances my direction. "Plus now I'll at least have a couple of friends to keep me company through the summer."

"Oh, more than just a couple!" Rouge was practically bubbling over with excitement. "I can introduce you to a ton of people this summer. In fact, there's a big beach party this Friday. I know it's not exactly the kind of beach you're used to in Earth, but it's still really fun. My friend Julie-Sue has a lake house with a boat and jet skis. Half the senior class is going."

"I don't know about this party Rouge," Mom interrupted in a wary voice.

"Oh, don't worry, Mrs. Rose. Julie-Sue's parents will totally be there. It's a barbeque, not a rave."

"It's not that honey, I trust Julie-Sue's parents. But after what happened to those other girls? I just don't know if it's a good idea to be out so late on the weekends right now."

"What girls?" Rouge, Shadow and I all asked in unison.

"Do you mean the two stabbing victims?" Shadow's sister asked and my mom nodded.

"Remember the girl we saw on the news last week?" Dad asked mom suddenly. "The one who…"

Dad's voice trailed off and I shivered. "Honey Cat," she said.

"She wasn't the only one. There was another girl the weekend before. Stabbed to death in the Mystic Zone. She fit the same profile."

I shuddered again. I could tell by the look on Dad's face that by "the same profile" he meant a carbon copy of me. A moment passed between us, which Rouge interrupted by blurting out, "Are you saying there's a serial killer on the loose right now?"

My face blanched and my dad quickly assured us that there wasn't. "You don't look too convinced," I told him, because he didn't.

"The murders may be connected," Shadow said out of nowhere. "But they can't be considered serial killings unless there's three or more."

Ms. Robotic must have seen the look I was giving her brother because she said, "No, he's right. I was watching a special report about it the other night. The police are actually pretty sure that the two deaths are coincidence."

"They're sure?" my mom asked.

Ms. Robotnik shrugged. "They seemed pretty confident."

Mom looked back at Rouge. "When is this party?"

"Friday."

"And Julie-Sue's parents will be there?"

Rouge nodded. "Plus some of their friends too."

Mom looked at Dad and then back at Rouge. Finally she sighed. "You can't go by yourself, and I expect you to be home by your normal curfew."

"There," Rouge said turning to Shadow. "You have to come with me now because I can't go alone."

Shadow frowned in confusion. "Won't Amy be going too?"

Rouge snorted, which made Shadow even more confused until he saw the look of disgust on my face. "I'd rather take my chances with the serial killer."

"Amy!" My mother. Again with the chiding.

For a moment everyone remembered that there was food on the table. I was glad for the silence, but I could feel Shadow's eyes on me. I braved a glance and then wished I hadn't because he was watching me with that same intense-yet-amused look I'd seen on him so many times already and it's not like I could go even if I wanted, I was going to be staying at the hospital to that day.

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**CLICK THAT FOLLOW BUTTON**

**Alright, so I lied? This will be the last long chapter that I do for this story but I hope whoever is reading this story enjoyed it and also for those Sonic fans, he's up and moving in the upcoming chapter. Also any reviews or suggestions on my story would be gladly taken by me because I'm really wanting to know what you guys think.**

**Peace, loveys :3**


	3. Ink

**CHAPTER INSPIRED BY THE SONGS:**

**Direct ft. Holly Drummon - Wanna Know You & AOSOON - Under (Kicks N Licks Remix)**

* * *

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up I was assaulted by sunlight again. "Come on Rouge, give me a break," I groaned, throwing my arm over my eyes.

I reached for my grabby thing again, and with as much ease as I'd done it before, I pulled my shade down. I was about to yell at Rouge to get out of my room, when a strange voice broke the silence. "Now that was almost as impressive as your high score on Angry Birds. I've been trying to beat it for three hours and haven't even come close."

I looked down to see a shadowed figure sprawled across my chair playing on my cell phone and, well, what else was I going to do? I screamed bloody murder. Only when I screamed it nearly made my head explode so it wasn't all that impressive and turned into a groan rather quickly.

"You know," the stranger, whose voice suddenly seemed friendly, said with another laugh, "you're going to give me a migraine if you keep screaming like that again and the nurses might come."

I felt like I should be fearful for my life, but even in the mostly-dark room I could see him grin up at me from beneath those dual green eyes that I would have killed for because of their bright beauty. That smile should be illegal too.

As I continued to lay there, mesmerized by his attitude, his grin turned a little lopsided. "You feeling okay?" he asked. "You seemed a lot more…" he searched for a word and settled on, "…talkative before."

Slowly, the memory of Dr. Quack's words pieced itself together. Though it was near impossible to look away from the weird guy who sat in my room, I threw my arm back over my eyes. "I didn't know we would be in the exact same room!" I gasped. "I thought there would be a wall between us."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, laughing. "I thought you would have liked the idea of sharing a room with someone as gorgeous like myself."

I was so glad my arm was still covering my face, because I'm pretty sure he would have taken great pleasure in watching me blush. I'd never told this boy I thought he was attractive because I didn't even see his face. "Sure," I mumbled at his conceded personality.

I nearly had a heart attack when my arm was lifted off my face. I hadn't heard him get up, or noticed when he sat down on my bed, but my new next-door-neighbor was now smiling down at me from an alarmingly close distance. "It's still nice to know that you think so," he said in a voice that no guy had ever used on me before—like velvet and hormones mixed together. It sent shivers through me, and don't think he didn't notice my reaction.

He hovered above me for a minute, staring so intensely into my eyes that it was causing my heart to do strange things in my chest. When I gulped, his smile widened. "Sonic the Hedgehog," he said with a twinkle in those glimmering green eyes of his.

"Sonic," I breathed automatically, and then a second later was able to reclaim my swimming head. A little. I sounded breathless, but still managed to voice my main concern. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He was surprised enough by my question that he afforded me my personal space, but amused enough by it that he didn't go far. "I sleep on the other side of that wall so I hear you always talking with the staff and your family," he said, still grinning. "I wanted to meet the new company."

It was easier to concentrate when he wasn't right there anymore. I started to get my confidence back. "And that gives you the right to break into my room and try to beat my Angry Birds record? Which, just so you know, will never happen."

Now that I could breathe again, I started to sit up. I definitely could have managed on my own but the minute I moved, Sonic jumped up. "Careful." He actually fluffed my pillow for me and then gently helped me lean up a little. When I was situated he asked, "You good? Need me to get you anything?"

I just shook my head incredulously. No guy had ever done anything like that for me before. I mean, Big would have come to keep me company and all if he could have, but he would still have made me do paper-rock-scissors to see who had to go to the cafeteria to get the sodas.

"What's the matter with you?" Sonic asked, laughing at the expression on my face.

"Nothing, what's the matter with you?"

He thought about not answering my question, but then shrugged. "Nothing. I didn't think you should be alone in your condition."

"My condition? I have a doctor for that. I don't need a babysitter."

"Girl." His voice made it sound as if what I said was absurd. "You left me no choice. I have been dying for you to come introduce yourself to me since the day I moved in next door. It wasn't nice of you to tease me like that yesterday morning. You got my hopes up when you passed my room and then went home."

"What?" I gasped.

"I don't know how it works here, but out in Mobius it's customary for mobians to welcome their new neighbors."

"The nurse usually takes cookies to new patients," I said confused.

"Yeah, the nurse. I don't care about the nurse."

"Doctor Quack talked to you in the other day?"

"Doctor?" he asked, distracted. Now he was the confused one.

"The hospital is filled with them," I said. "Shocking, I know."

Sonic frowned. "I don't care about doctors either."

"Not my point." Even though I happened to agree. I'm not much of a fan of them. "I happen to know you were there when he went over, and you didn't answer when he talked to you."

His eyes flashed up in surprise and it took him a minute before he could respond. I realized that I'd just lied to catching on him, but, thankfully, he seemed to be more concerned with being busted.

"Maybe I was busy doing my quills," he finally said, fighting a smile.

"You gave Doctor Quack the silent treatment?"

He couldn't hold back his grin anymore. "Maybe."

"Are you gay or something?"

I was glad to see that my comment mildly annoyed him. "Not everyone that takes time to look pretty is gay," he informed me.

"You ignored Doctor Quack," I repeated. "Nobody ignores Doctor Quack."

"He wasn't the one I hoped would come see me."

What!

"Me?" I laughed to cover up my sudden nerves. "Please."

"Your Doctor is nice," Sonic admitted, not with any real enthusiasm. "But he's too irritating for my liking."

"Oh, so you mean he's just like you?"

It was the wrong thing to say. Sonic got really quiet all the sudden. Then, after a minute, he said, "Would you like me to go?"

Something about the kid unsettled me, but the thought of him leaving surprisingly made my stomach churn. "I don't know," I said honestly. I hoped I sounded casual. I didn't want him to know that he both excited and annoyed me.

He smiled at me again, but it was less confident somehow, I think he was afraid I might actually kick him out. I relaxed a tiny bit, but I didn't know what to say, so I waited for him to talk.

He got up off my chair and sat instead on my bed, pulling the only framed photo I kept here and into his hands. It was a picture of Cream, Cheese, me, and Big, all in our cheerleading uniforms. Cream's smile was wide, Cheese was missing a pom pom, and Big, whose eye was purple and swollen, was carrying me in his arms with me with a megaphone in hand. But we were all smiling as if it had been the best day of our lives.

I loved that picture. Sonic seemed to enjoy it too. He studied it for a few minutes with a grin on his face, and eventually turned it towards me. He pointed to the kid holding me and said, "This is Big, right?"

"Um, yeah." I was startled. "How'd you know that?"

"Just a guess, he seems like a good guy that would text you to make sure you're okay."

I couldn't help smiling at that until I realized he invaded my privacy.

Sonic looked down at the picture some more and then lifted just his eyes as he asked, "He's your boyfriend?"

"No!" I gasped, too appalled by the thought to blush at the question. I pointed to the picture and said, "He was just the only one strong enough to carry me home that day. I'd taken a hit from a kid on the opposing team. Actually caught the football and scored." I smiled again as I remembered the fight it caused. "As you can see, the guys didn't take too kindly to that. I went down, and they didn't even know I was hurt before they started punching anyone and everyone they could. It was one of the finest moments in cheerleading history."

Sonic smiled at the story and pointed to the picture again. "So what about these guys?"

"Cream, and Cheese," I clarified as he pointed them out. "What about them?"

"Friends of yours?"

"Best friends." I corrected him with a cheeky smile.

"Do you have a lot of friends?"

"Does it matter?"

I tried to sound annoyed by the subject instead of freaked out like I was, but it obviously didn't work because Sonic put the picture down and came back to my bedside. His smile went back to amused and slightly cocky. "Does that mean you don't have a whole lot of friends?"

I narrowed my eyes at him but he still figured out the truth, I had friends, just not that many close friends because I didn't trust many. He gazed at me for a moment then asked, "Have you ever been popular with others?"

My lack of response answered the question for me. I think this was the reaction Sonic was hoping for since he leaned in really close. I instinctively tried to back away from him but seeing as how I was lying in bed, and he was blocking my escape, the only thing I could do was sink down into my pillow.

"I wonder…" he said when I could sink no lower. I was flat on my back again, ignoring the discomfort the pressure was causing my stitches. He leaned completely over me, trapping me between his hands and hovering at arm's length directly above me. His eyes were still quizzical, and yet they burned, almost wild, as he stared down at me.

When he spoke again, it was a whisper. A velvety-smooth, dangerous whisper. "Have you ever had that feeling when you don't know if to do what's right or wrong?"

I sucked in a deep breath and then held it while the blood drained from my face. I was frozen, completely terrified by this weird boy and what it looked like he was about to do.

When Sonic leaned in and brought one of his hands to my face, I flinched so violently it startled him. Instead of kissing me—which I thought he was going to do—he sat back up and whispered, "Okay. Relax." He brushed the hair away from my eyes, and then ran the backs of his fingers down the length of my cheek and stopped above your lip. "I wasn't sure if I should tell you this since we weren't close but you have something on your face." That sounded like a joke.

"I think you should leave now," I whispered with a frown when I could finally catch my breath and slapped a hand over my face.

"I was just being nice." Sonic pulled his hand away from me, his eyes studying mine, but the smile stayed on his face. "Don't be a stranger," he said and then disappeared over the sliding wall.

I listened for his retreat, but he never made a sound. When I was sure he was gone, I ran to my mirror and stared. Then, after that, my eyes grew wide and my jaw hung and I glared.

"SONIC!"

The idiot had drawn a mustache on my face, a blue freaking mustache!

* * *

**CLICK THAT FOLLOW BUTTON**

**Short chapter, finally! So I feel like I took too long to bring Sonic out but here he finally is meeting Amy in the most not creepy way possible. **

**Peace, loveys! :3**


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